Injuries hamper Toulouse pre-season

Toulouse look set to start the new Top 14 season without at least two of their French internationals due to respective injuries.

Toulouse look set to start the new Top 14 season without at least two of their French internationals as Yoann Maestri and Florian Fritz battle injuries.

Having missed the first stage of pre-season training, Stade Toulousain's French international contingent were back on the paddock on Monday with the exception of Maestri, who is struggling with a knee injury.

The 26-year-old lock has been given an extra two weeks to recover from the injury suffered while training with les Bleus during the June tour of Australia.

He will travel to Toulon this week to undergo an arthroscopy and is expected to be sidelined for two to three weeks, meaning he is highly unlikely to feature in the season opener against Oyonnax on August 16.

Meanwhile, Fritz did lace up his boots with the rest of the Toulouse squad but was unable to take part in any activities involving a ball due to ruptured ligaments in his thumb.